Confederacy of Independent Systems
| image = File:CIS.jpg | imagewidth = 225px | aliases = CIS; Separatist Confederacy | continuity = Star Wars | type = | status = | leaders = Count Dooku; Separatist Council | members = Trade Federation; Techno-Union; Corporate Alliance; InterGalactic Banking Clan; Commerce Guild | allies = Darth Sidious | enemies = Galactic Republic; Grand Army of the Republic | first appearance = Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) }} The is a fictional organization featured in the Star Wars film franchise. It was introduced in the second installment of the prequel trilogy Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and served as the primary antagonists of the film. The Confederacy, or CIS for short, were also featured in the 2005 feature film Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, as well as the 2008 animated tie-in film Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The CIS are the central villains of the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated micro-series as well as the Star Wars: The Clone Wars regular animated series. In addition, the Confederacy has also made numerous appearances in various prequel-related comic book titles, novels and video games. Description On the surface, the Confederacy of Independent Systems appeared to be a viable political movement aimed at pulling worlds away from the Galactic Republic to form a federation of independent worlds, one that would be presumably free of the alleged graft and corruption that had poisoned the Republic and the powerful Galactic Senate. In truth however, the formation of the CIS was actually an elaborate scheme orchestrated by Sith Lord Darth Sidious in an ambitious attempt to gain ultimate power in the universe. Spearheaded by Sidious' second-in-command, Count Dooku, the Confederacy of Independent Systems drew together several powerful commerce and trade guilds under one umbrella, most notably, the Trade Federation, the Techno-Union, the InterGalactic Banking Clan, the Corporate Alliance, the Commerce Guild and the scientists of Geonosis. Each organization had a single representative who comprised part of the reigning Separatist Council led by Dooku himself. Only Count Dooku, who also went by the Sith title Darth Tyranus, knew that the secessionist movement was just a blind to provoke a war with the Republic. Shortly following the formation of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the CIS's Separatist Droid Army waged a series of brutal campaigns against the Galactic Republic and their allies in the Jedi Order which came to be known as the Clone Wars. The Clone Wars took place over the course of three years from 22 BBY to 19 BBY, spanning dozens of occupied worlds. In the end, the Galactic Republic proved victorious when it imperialized itself into the First Galactic Empire. The Confederacy was dissolved and all heads of state were killed. Separatist worlds were then absorbed back into the Galactic Empire. History Origins The true origins of the Confederacy vary depending upon personal points of view. Historically, many feel that secession fever began during the reign of Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum, a noble leader who had the misfortune of governing a Senate mired in political bureaucracy and corruption. Controversy grew over the implementation of increased taxation along Free Trade routes to outlying star systems. The loudest voices of opposition to the new tax laws came from the Trade Federation, chaired by Viceroy Nute Gunray. Nobody knew that the Trade Federation were actually the puppets of a Sith Lord named Darth Sidious. Further, Sidious was in fact a Senator from the Republic world of Naboo named Palpatine. To the general public, Senator Palpatine was a voice of opposition to the Republic's ineffective leadership. As Darth Sidious however, he used the Trade Federation as a means to an end and had them form a legal blockade of ''Lucrehulk''-class battleships around Naboo. Chancellor Valorum sent two Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi to negotiate a settlement with the Trade Federation, but the negotiations never took place and ultimately, the Federation invaded Naboo. Although the Republic forces managed to repulse the Trade Federation's battle droid armies, Palpatine's true purpose for instigating the incident bore fruit. He was able to manipulate Naboo's queen, Padmé Amidala, to issue a Vote of No Confidence against Chancellor Valorum to the Galactic Senate. Valorum was ousted and Senator Palpatine was elected to take his place. With the power of the senate behind him, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was now ready to initiate his plan in earnest. Secession Count Dooku was a former Jedi Knight who had become a Sith Lord and apprentice to Darth Sidious. He became the public face of opposition to the Republic and his charisma and rough idealism succeeded in stirring up anti-Republic sentiment among many disenfranchised world leaders. Dooku's efforts convinced many powerful businesses and trade guilds that they would flourish under new leadership, separate from that of the stagnant Republic bureaucracy. Among those who sided with Dooku were the Trade Federation, the Commerce Guild, the InterGalactic Banking Clan, the Techno-Union, the Corporate Alliance and the scientists of Geonosis. The leaders of each of these respective organizations formed the Separatist Council with Dooku as the Head of State. Through the Trade Federation's affiliation with Baktoid Armor Workshop, they were able to create their own army of battle droids and forged a military wing supplemented by assault vehicles, and siege weapons financed and manufactured by the Confederacy's various affiliates. Over the span of only a few years, the influence and power of the CIS continued to grow as dozens of worlds seceded from the Republic to join the Confederacy. In public, Chancellor Palpatine refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Confederacy, fearing that doing so would validate it's efforts and thus draw more worlds away from the Republic. As more and more planets pulled away from the Republic, the Galactic Senate proposed a bill establishing a unified military force in service to the Republic as a whole called the Military Creation Act. The bill sparked major controversy throughout the Senate and while many supported the idea of a unified military in light of the growing Separatist Crisis, many more, including Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo opposed it. Under the directive of Darth Sidious, Count Dooku hired two bounty hunters, Jango Fett and Zam Wesell to assassinate Senator Amidala. The assassination was thwarted, but it prompted an investigation led by Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker who placed Amidala in protective custody. Obi-Wan's investigation brought him to the watery world of Kamino. There he learned that the Republic had secretly contracted the Kaminoans to create a clone army for them in expectation of the Military Creation Act bill being passed. Obi-Wan discovered that Jango Fett was the genetic template from which all of the clones had been created. The two fought one another and their battle brought them all the way from Kamino to the planet Geonosis. When Obi-Wan arrived on Geonosis, he learned that Count Dooku and the Separatist Council had headquartered themselves within one of the Geonosian mountain hives. He managed to send off a message back to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, but was captured soon after. Anakin and Padmé attempted to rescue Obi-Wan, but were captured as well. The Battle of Geonosis When the Jedi Council learned about Dooku's presence on Geonosis, they sent a contingent of 200 Jedi to the planet to stop him, hoping that by doing so, they might be able to avoid starting a war. The Jedi succeeded in rescuing Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padmé from being executed at the Petranaki Arena, but they were woefully outnumbered when Dooku released a legion of B1 battle droids against them. Politically, this incident gave Chancellor Palpatine the leverage he needed to ratify the Military Creation Act and he declared the formation of the Grand Army of the Republic. Jedi Master Yoda, having now learned about the creation of the clone army, went to Kamino to press the clones into service. He brought them back to Geonosis to shore up the Jedi reserves. The clones fought against the Separatist droid armies in the arena and the surrounding desert region, ultimately overwhelming them in numbers and firepower. The Separatists were forced to retreat, though only a small contingent of Jedi managed to survive the battle. Though it may have appeared as a victory for the Republic, the Battle of Geonosis proved to be the first of many such bloody campaigns that would come to be known as the Clone Wars. The Clone Wars SECTION NOT YET WRITTEN Members Leaders * Darth Sidious * Count Dooku * Asajj Ventress * General Grievous * Separatist Council :* Nute Gunray :* Wat Tambor :* Tikkes :* Poggle the Lesser :* Passel Argente :* Rune Haako :* Shu Mai :* San Hill Associates * Jango Fett * Boba Fett * Durge * Savage Opress Ships/Vehicles Incomplete * ''Hardcell''-class interstellar transport * ''Lucrehulk''-class battleship * OG-9 homing spider droid See also External Links * * Confederacy of Independent Systems at Wookieepedia * Confederacy of Independent Systems at Star Wars.com Appearances |-|Films= * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith * Star Wars: The Clone Wars |-|Television= * Star Wars: Clone Wars: Chapter 1 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Ambush * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Shadow of Malevolence * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Water War - Dooko, Nossori Ri and Riff Tamson. * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: A War on Two Fronts |-|Comics= * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 3 - Separatist Council only. |-|Novels= * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (novelization) * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (novelization) * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (junior novel) |-|Video games= |-|Short stories= |-|Other= References ----